Linen Tea Towel

Butter

$38USD

Linen Tea Towel

Madre

Linen Tea Towel

$38USD

Can one ever have too many tea towels? We certainly don’t think so. Keep one slung over your shoulder, tuck one at your waist while cooking something nourishing, or leave a stack within easy reach for the everyday spills and rituals of the kitchen.

Soft, absorbent, and endlessly useful, these are the linens that quickly become part of daily life. We always recommend keeping a few on hand — both in your kitchen and tucked away for the perfect last-minute hostess gift.

Friends and customers are always asking how best to wash and care for MADRE linens, so here’s our tried and true method. MADRE designed their linen napkins and other home goods with everyday life in mind, with a goal of making the everyday more beautiful. So go ahead and get them dirty! Here’s how we like to wash our linens:

STAIN TREAT

First, spot treat as necessary. (We use Biokleen’s Bac-Out for spot treatment.) We’ve found that even turmeric can be removed if you get to it fast enough! (Hot water also helps.)

WASH

Next, wash MADRE linens in warm water with mild eco-friendly detergent. (We like Dropps for their commitment to reducing plastic waste. We also like to add Dropps' "oxi booster pods" as a brightener.) We recommend washing your linens apart from other laundry and not overpacking the wash basin for deepest clean.

DRY

For napkins and tea towels, shake them out well, then dry on warm heat and remove promptly from dryer. We suggest giving all linens, including duvet covers, pillowcases, tea towels, etc a good shake and then tossing in the dryer. Additionally, a few wool balls in the dryer really support in linens coming out of drying less "wadded".

For an even less wrinkled finish and for longevity, we suggest laying linens flat to dry and then tossing in the dryer for just a short "fluff" cycle to relax and soften fibers again.

Fold your linens however you like, and reuse again and again!

PRESSING

Personally we love how linen rumples, but understand sometimes you’re going for a more polished look. We've found that the best way to smooth wrinkles is to steam out your linens. We recommend Jiffy steamers; we use a professional model but their home models work well too. Should you happen to enjoy ironing, please iron your MADRE napkins with a cloth (linen or cotton) between your napkin and your iron. MADRE's rolled hems are made with a polyester thread that can melt under high heat.

That said, if you notice any fraying at your linens' corners, using a little heat (a lighter works well) can help you reseal the threads.

MADRE’s linen is grown in Belgium, and produced in Lithuania. Woven in a mill that runs on green energy, it is also Oeko-Tex certified. Our napkins are thoughtfully designed in our hometown of Portland, OR.